Chapter 407
Chapter 407
Chapter 231: Crime And Punishment
Savannah
If someone had told me a few months ago that this same living room–the one that once smelled like grilled meat, laughter, and cheap beer–would turn into a battlefield, I would have laughed in their face.
Back then, this house had hosted a barbecue for Chloe and Dean. Music had played. Uncle Jace and Alyssa had danced. Drinks had flowed. People had smiled like we were a normal, functional family.
Now?
Now it smelled like blood, rage, and something rotten that had been festering for years.
“Jace, take that girl and get out of my house! ”
Julius’s voice cracked through the room like a gunshot. His finger was extended, shaking as it pointed directly at Paula. His face was red- veins bulging, mouth bloodied from the punches he’d taken earlier, eyes blazing with the kind of fury that felt unhinged.
“I do not want to see her, nor you, anywhere near my property ever again p>
“She’s not going anywhere.” Jace’s voice was calm. Too calm. The kind of calm that came right before something snapped. “And neither am 1,” he continued. “We’re staying right here p>
Julius let out a sharp, humorless laugh, like he couldn’t believe the audacity of what he was hearing.
“You’re in my house,” he said, spreading his arms wide. “On my property. I can shoot you and say it was self–defense, Jace. I’m warning
you. ”
The threat was delivered so casually it made my stomach drop.
I swallowed hard.
My pulse was loud in my ears, each beat echoing like a warning siren. I could feel Roman beside me, but even his presence couldn’t fully anchor me. The air felt tight. Suffocating.
Mom stepped forward suddenly, her movements sluggish, like her body was carrying a weight her mind could barely process. Exhaustion radiated off her in waves–physical, emotional, soul–deep.
“Enough,” she said sharply. “Enough! Both of you!” Her voice cracked, but she pushed through it. “What is wrong with you? ” she demanded. “Fighting like a bunch of children p>
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Chapter 407
Roman’s men, who had been restraining both Jace and Julius, finally released them. The second their grips loosened, the tension in the room doubled instead of easing.
Julius rolled his shoulders, his jaw locking so tight I thought his teeth might crack.
“Get your boyfriend off my property, Flora,” he snapped. “Or I won’t be responsible for my actions. You divorced me. So you no longer
have a home here p>
Mom didn’t even look at him. Instead, she turned to Jace, her eyes glassy, red–rimmed, pleading.
“Let’s go,” she said softly, “Jace, please. Let’s leave p>
For a brief second, I thought he might agree. Then Jace shook his head.
“No p>
That single word landed like a death sentence.
And somehow, deep in my bones, I knew that was the moment everything crossed the point of no return.
“I’m not leaving, Flora,” Jace said. “Not until one of us dies p>
Mom gasped.
“I swore to avenge my daughter,” he went on, his voice gaining force, vibrating with years of suppressed rage. “ And if I can’t do that–if! fail her again–then I’d rather not be alive at all p>
“Jace!” Mom cried.
But he didn’t stop.
“I’ve watched from the side for years,” he said, stepping forward. “I’ve watched him hit her. Scold her. Break her down. Treat her worse than people treat their servants p>
My chest constricted.
“When Savannah was born,” Jace continued, “I wanted to take my daughter with me because I knew what kind of monster I had for a
brother. ”
His eyes shifted then. They hardened when they landed on Mom.
My stomach flipped violently.
I knew–I knew–whatever he was about to say wouldn’t be gentle.
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Chapter 407
“But you refused, Flora,” he said coldly. “You said Savannah was your daughter too. You told me I’d always be welcome in her life. You promised me you’d protect her from him p>
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Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.